Apparatus for starting, stopping, and resetting an electrically driven clock



March 17, 1936. c 5 FQRSYTHE 2,034,613 APPARATUS FOR STARTING, STOPPING,AND RESETTING AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN CLOCK Filed June 1,1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 M 4 0 rid \n':

61 60 INVENTOR r526 (Zifton JJ Zrjfie ATTORN EIY March 17, 1936. Q S,YTH 2,034,613

APPARATUS FOR STARTING, STOPPING, AND RESETTING AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVENCLOCK Filed June 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \\\x\\\ J; w 6-1 L INVENTORATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDRESETTING DRIVEN CLOCK AN ELECTRICALLY Clifton S. Forsythe, Brighton, N.Y. Application June 1, 1933, Serial No. 673,876

Claims.

. the clock with a second hand and a minute hand,

both of which can be manually reset to zero.

Another object of the invention is to provide two clocks exactly alike,each of which operates independently of the other, and to provide anelectrical system for starting and stopping the two clocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch which can beoperated by the foot or hand for closing the circuit, setting bothclocks in operation, and stopping first one and then the other.

Another object of the invention is to arrange a switch so that it willoperate by a series of similar impulses, said switch having differentcontacts so that on the first operation the switch will start bothclocks, on the second operation the switch will stop one clock, and onthe third operation the switch will stop the second clock, leaving thefirst clock stopped, it being understood that the clocks can then bemanually reset and can be started again by the switch which will repeatthe foregoing cycle of operation.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the front of the two clocks and theswitch and the electrical connections therefor, the casing being partlybroken away to expose the inside of one of the clocks.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the clock partly brokenaway to show the resetting mechanism of the minute hand.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the connections on the bottom of theswitch board.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the switch, as viewed from the right ofFigure 6,'the parts being shown in zero, or the first, position with thecircuit open.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the switch viewed from the left ofFigure 6, with the circuit open.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the switch.

Figure 7 is a section on the line lac-la: of Figure 6, looking to theright.

Figure 8 is a vertical section through the switch, the section beingtaken on the line 8m8a: of Figure 6, looking to the left.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings reference numeral I indicates a clock case havingtherein a central arbor 2, carrying a second hand 3. A heart-shaped cam4 is provided on the arbor of the second hand.

The dial 5 is provided for the travel of the second hand and iscalibrated from 1 to 60 seconds.

Inside of the large dial 5 is provided a small dial 6, which iscalibrated from 1 to 60 minutes, through which passes an arbor I, onwhich is 5 carried a minute hand 8. The second hand and the minute handare driven in correct ratio to each other.

It will be understood that these hands are driven electrically as in thewell known type of 10 electrically driven clock, and the illustration ofthe driving mechanism of the clock is omitted because that part is oldand well known and constitutes no part of my invention.

Inside of each clock is provided a bridge plate ID, on which ispivotally mounted a pawl l I. This pawl engages the heart-shaped cam 4for the purpose of resetting the second hand. This pawl is operated by arod [2 which contacts with the pawl II and makes sliding engagementtherewith as the pawl is swung thereby. The pawl is pressed down againsta C-shaped spring I3, which raises the pawl as soon as the bar [2 isreleased from its downward thrust.

Both clocks are equipped and are reset in the same way. The rods I 2 ineach clock are connected by a yoke M, which in turn is moved by a stem[5, and handle IS. The operator presses down on the handle IS with hisfinger and resets the second hands of both clocks at the same time. Theupward movement of the stem I5 is limited by the shoulder l5a. Thiskeeps the springs l3 from moving the stem [5 too far.

The minute hand is reset by the train of mechanism shown in Figure 2, inwhich the shaft 20 is provided having a bevel gear 2| on the rear endthereof, which shaft can be pulled down to bring the bevel gear 2| intomesh with the bevel gear 22. On the same arbor with the bevel gear 22 isthe spur gear 23, which meshes with the spur gear 24. When the shaft 20is pulled down and turned, it turns the bevel gear 22, the spur gear 23,and the spur gear 24. The spur gear 24 is carried on an arbor 1, shownin Figure 1, which arbor carries the minute hand 8. By pulling thisshaft down and turning it, the minute hand is turned to any positiondesired.

The bevel gear 21 is provided with an enlarged shouldered hub 25 thatturns in a hole in the plate 26. This shoulder engages the arm 21, piv-5O oted at 28, which arm is normally held up against the plate 26 by thespring 29. When the shaft 20 is pulled down, it pulls the arm 21 andspring 29 down with it. When the shaft 20 is released, the spring 29pushes the arm 21 up and raises the shaft 23, taking the bevel gear 2!out of mesh with the bevel gear 22.

For the purpose of starting and stopping this clock, I provide anautomatic switch shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, which switch ismounted on the horizontal plate 59, and has two upright plates ormembers ii and 62 connected by a yoke member 43. The bottom of each ofthe upright plates i! and 5-2 are turned inwardly as shown at M. and 45.These parts are all formed in one piece of sheet metal.

In the top member 433 is a large opening in which slides the push buttond6. This push button is mounted on a blade il, which is slotted as shownat 48, and engages the horizontal shaft d9 of the switch and has asliding bearing thereon. Extending sideways from the blade ll is the arm58 that is adapted to engage with each of the six teeth on the ratchetwheel 55. This arm 50 is pivoted on the blade at EZ, and is normallyheld against the edge of the blade bythe spring 53, and in this positionit is adapted to engage one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel ti on itsdownward movement. Its downward movement carries the ratchet wheel andshaft around 60 degrees, or onesixth of a circle. V

The'push button operates with a full stroke, and the ratchet Wheel isturned 60 degrees by reason of the full stroke device, which will now bedescribed.

On the shaft 49 is provided the star wheel 5 having six points thereonequally spaced apart, between which points engages the detent 55 of thespring as fastened to the base at til. During the first half of itsmovement the point of the star wheel is forced under and beyond thedetent 55, bending the spring up. The spring then snaps down and carriesthe star wheel a l, shaft 39, and ratchet wheel 5!, through the rest ofits movement of 60 degrees.

On each of the outer ends of the shaft Q9 is provided a pair of contactarms 69 and 6!. The arm is on the right of Figure 6 and makes engagementwith the stationary contacts 62a, 62b. The arm Si is on the left of theshaft it in Figure 6 and makes contact with the stationary contacts630,631) of Figure 5. The contacts Bil and 6! comprise two blades thatare adapted to engage on the outside of the stationary contacts withwhich they engage as they move around the circle by successive steps.

With the clock idle, and with the parts in zero position, as shown inFigures 4 and 5, it will be seen in Figure 5 that the arm 6| is set alittle in advance of the arm 68. It will also be seen that thestationary contacts @211 and 52b in Figure 4 are about 75 degrees long,and the stationary contacts 63d and 53b are only 10 or 15 degrees long.On the first downward movement of the push button 66, the contacts 66and 65 both engage with the contacts 92a and 82b, and 63a and 63b,respectively. On the next downward movement of the button 25, therotating contact {iii maintains contact with the stationary contacts 62aand 62b, and

the rotating contact 6i passes out of engagement from the stationarycontacts 63a and 63b. The next downward movement of the push buttonbrings both of the rotary contacts into the zero position, where neitherof them is in contact with the stationary contacts.

It will alsobe understood that the rotary contacts are insulated fromthe shaft 69, (this is not necessary) and that when either of the rotarycontacts make engagement with-the stationary contacts the current canflow through the rotating contacts from one side of the stationarycontacts to the other side of the stationary contacts. The current isconducted by the conductors shown in Figure 3 and Figure 1.

With the switch in the zero position, the second hand is idle. Theoperator in measuring the time for an observation or an experimentpushes the button down with his foot or hand and starts both clocks, andat the time indicated by the next obseivaiion he pushes down on thebutton again and stops one clock, and on the next observation he pushesthe button down again and stops the second clock, and the positions ofthe second hands on the two clocks will then give him two readings oftime measurement. He can reset the clocks then by pushing down on thebutton 16, and turning the shaft 28, after which the cycle of operationcan be repeated.

This instrument is devised for the purpose of measuring the reaction ofpatients to successive impulses, or measuring the reactions of patientsto the same impulse, or it can be used for mea's uring the time of racehorses, and can be used for other purposes.

I claim:

1. A switch having a central shaft, a ratchet wheel thereon having sixteeth, a push-button and a pawl by which said ratchet wheel and shaftare advanced by a step-by-step movement, a pair of arms on each end ofsaid shaft, stationary double pole contacts at each end'of the switchwith which said arms make contact, one pair of saidstationary contactshaving a width of but ten or fifteen degrees each, the other pair ofstationary contacts having a width of about seventy-five degrees each,said arms being adapted to be moved together by successive impulses ofsaid button, first from neutral or open circuit position to makingcontact with both sets of stationary contacts, and then being adapted onthe next step to move one pair of arms out of contact with itsstationary contacts, and on the next step to move the other pair of armsout of contact with its stationary-contacts.

2. The combination of two clocks, an arbor in each clock, a second handon each-arbor,-a motor in each clock for driving said arbors, a cam oneach clock for resetting the arbor and thesecond hand thereof, a pawl ineach clock for engaging said cam to reset the second hand, means foroperating the two pawls together manually, a three position switch,connecting means connecting the switch to the motors, means foroperating said switch to each of its three positions, said switch beingadapted to energize said motors when in one position, said switch beingadapted to deenergize one motor in another position, and being adaptedto de energize both motors in a third position. r

3. The combination of two clocks, an arbor in each clock, a hand on eacharbor, driving means for each of the two arbors, a switch having aseries of sets of contacts, means connecting said contacts with each ofsaid driving means, means for moving said switch by a series of impulsesto operate said contacts successively, said switch operating with thefirst set of contacts to energize the driving means on both clocks onthe first im pulse, said switch operating to d e-energize the drivingmeans on the first clock on the second impulse, said switch operating tode-energize the driving means on the second clock by the third impulse.j

4. The combination of two clocks, an arbor in each clock, a hand oneacharbor, driving means for each of the two arbors, a switch having aseries of contacts, means connecting said contacts with each of saiddriving means, means for moving said switch by a series of impulses tooperate said contacts successively, said switch operating to energizethe driving means on both clocks on the first impulse, said switchoperating to de-energize the driving means on the first clock on thesecond impulse, said switch operating to de-energize the driving meanson the second clock by the third impulse, means for manually resettingboth arbors and hands to starting position.

5. The combination of two clocks, an arbor in each clock, a hand on eacharbor, driving means for each of the two arbors, a switch having aseries of sets of contacts, means connecting said contacts with each ofsaid driving means, means for moving said switch by a series of impulsesto operate said contacts successively, said switch operating with thefirst set of contacts to energize the driving means on both clocks onthe first impulse, said switch operating to de-energize the drivingmeans on the first clock with the next set of contacts on the secondimpulse, said switch operating to de-energize the driving means on thesecond clock with the third set of contacts by the third impulse.

CLIFTON S. FORSYT'HE.

